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The region of southern Africa (SA) has a fragile food economy and is vulnerable to frequent droughts. Interventions to mitigate food insecurity impacts require early warning of droughts – preferably as early as possible before the harvest season (typically starting in April) and lean season (typically starting in November). Hydrologic monitoring and forecasting systems provide a unique opportunity to support early warning efforts, since they can provide regular updates on available root-zone soil moisture (RZSM), a critical variable for crop yield, and provide forecasts of RZSM by combining the estimates of antecedent soil moisture conditions with climate forecasts. For SA, this study documents the predictive capabilities of RZSM products from the recently developed NASA Hydrological Forecasting and Analysis System (NHyFAS). Results show that the NHyFAS products would have identified the regional severe drought event – which peaked during December–February of 2015–2016 – at least as early as 1 November 2015. Next, it is shown that during 1982–2016, February RZSM (Feb-RZSM) forecasts (monitoring product) available in early November (early March) have a correlation of 0.49 (0.79) with the detrended regional crop yield. It is also found that when the February RZSM forecast (monitoring product) available in early November (early March) is indicated to be in the lowest tercile, the detrended regional crop yield is below normal about two-thirds of the time (always), at least over the sample years considered. Additionally, it is shown that the February RZSM forecast (monitoring product) can provide “out-of-sample” crop yield forecasts with comparable (substantially better with 40 % reduction in mean error) skill to December–February ENSO. These results indicate that the NHyFAS products can effectively support food insecurity early warning in the SA region. Finally, since a framework similar to NHyFAS can be used to provide RZSM monitoring and forecasting products over other regions of the globe, this case study also demonstrates potential for supporting food insecurity early warning globally.

Os festivais são muitas vezes ligados a localidades específicas e às associações culturais que tais localidades possuem no imaginário público. Aspectos desses imaginários são observáveis através das diversas formas de cultura expressiva que os festivais celebram e da maneira como tais conteúdos são (re)apresentados, promovidos e consumidos nesses eventos. Esta pesquisa examina a maneira como as ideias de localidade e globalidade são negociadas, reinventadas e reimaginadas no Africa Festival, em Würzburg, um festival anual que celebra a música e a cultura africana na região da Baixa Francônia, na Alemanha. Partindo da ideia de que eventos como o Africa Festival são “festivais culturais construídos”, esta pesquisa analisa a maneira como essas reinvenções e reimaginações refletem noções implícitas de autoridade, autenticidade, poder e alteridade que foram moldadas pela globalização e pelo legado da colonização. Esses conjuntos são utilizados na criação de uma forma particular de patrimônio, que situa o Africa Festival como um espaço específico, situado para o consumo cultural, ao mesmo tempo em que ligam o festival a uma comunidade global imaginada, mais ampla. Em última análise, esta pesquisa questiona se a curadoria de culturas exotizadas em tais eventos construídos cria espaços produtivos para o intercâmbio intercultural e defende que as epistemologias apresentadas em tais eventos sejam cocriadas com as culturas e comunidades representadas.

Les festivals sont des événements souvent liés à des lieux spécifiques et aux associations culturelles que ces lieux tiennent dans l’imaginaire du public. Certains aspects de cet imaginaire sont observables à travers les diverses formes d’expression culturel que les festivals célèbrent et la manière dont leur contenu est (re)présenté, promu et consommé lors de ces événements. Cette recherche examine la manière dont les idées de localité et de globalité sont négociées, réinventées et réimaginées lors du festival africain de Würzburg, un festival annuel qui célèbre la musique et la culture africaines dans la région de Basse-Franconie en Allemagne. Partant du principe que des événements comme le Festival Africa sont des « festivals culturels construits », cette recherche s’intéresse à la manière dont ces réinventions et réimaginations reflètent les notions implicites d’autorité, d’authenticité, de pouvoir et d’altérité, qui ont été façonnées par la mondialisation et l’héritage colonial. Ces assemblages sont utilisés dans la création d’une forme particulière de patrimoine, qui situe le Festival Africa dans un espace spécifique et localisé de consommation culturelle, tout en reliant simultanément le festival à une communauté virtuelle mondiale plus large. En fin de compte, cette recherche pose la question de savoir si la présentation de cultures exotisées lors d’événements aussi construits crée des espaces productifs pour l’échange interculturel. Elle préconise que les créations proposes lors de ces événements soient co-créées avec les cultures et les communautés représentées.

Festivals are events often tied to specific locations and the cultural associations that such locations have in public imaginaries. Aspects of such imaginaries are observable through the various forms of expressive culture that festivals celebrate and the manner that such content is (re)presented, promoted, and consumed at such events. This research examines the way that ideas of locality and globality are negotiated, reinvented, and reimagined at Africa Festival in Würzburg, an annual festival that celebrates African music and culture in the Lower Franconian region of Germany. Operating from the conceit that events like Africa Festival are “constructed cultural festivals,” this research looks at the way that these reinventions and reimaginings are reflective of implicit notions of authority, authenticity, power, and alterity, which have been shaped by globalization and colonial legacy. These assemblages are used in the creation of a particular form of heritage, that situates Africa Festival as a specific, localized space for cultural consumption, while simultaneously linking the festival to a larger, imagined global community. Ultimately, this research asks the question whether the curation of exoticized cultures at such constructed events creates productive spaces for intercultural exchange, and advocates that the epistemologies presented at such events be co-created with the represented cultures and communities.

Provided the considerable logistical challenges of anticipatory action and disaster response programs, there is a need for early warning of crop failures at lead times of six to twelve months. But crop yield forecasts at these lead times are virtually nonexistent. By leveraging recent advances in climate forecasting, we demonstrate that global preseason crop yield forecasts are not only possible but are skillful over considerable portions of cropland. Globally, maize and wheat forecasts are skillful at lead times of up to a year ahead of harvest for 15% and 30% of harvested areas, respectively. Forecasts are most skillful in Southeast Africa and Southeast Asia for maize and parts of South and Central Asia, Australia, and Southeast South America for wheat. Wheat forecasts, furthermore, remain skillful at lead times of over 18 months ahead of harvest in some locations. Our results demonstrate that the potential for preseason crop yield forecasts is greater than previously appreciated., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The Climate Hazards group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) dataset builds on previous approaches to 'smart' interpolation techniques and high resolution, long period of record precipitation estimates based on infrared Cold Cloud Duration (CCD) observations. The algorithm i) is built around a 0.05° climatology that incorporates satellite information to represent sparsely gauged locations, ii) incorporates daily, pentadal, and monthly 1981-present 0.05° CCD-based precipitation estimates, iii) blends station data to produce a preliminary information product with a latency of about 2 days and a final product with an average latency of about 3 weeks, and iv) uses a novel blending procedure incorporating the spatial correlation structure of CCD-estimates to assign interpolation weights. We present the CHIRPS algorithm, global and regional validation results, and show how CHIRPS can be used to quantify the hydrologic impacts of decreasing precipitation and rising air temperatures in the Greater Horn of Africa. Using the Variable Infiltration Capacity model, we show that CHIRPS can support effective hydrologic forecasts and trend analyses in southeastern Ethiopia.

Food security assessment in sub-Saharan Africa requires simultaneous consideration of multiple socio-economic and environmental variables. Early identification of populations at risk enables timely and appropriate action. Since large and widely dispersed populations depend on rainfed agriculture and pastoralism, climate monitoring and forecasting are important inputs to food security analysis. Satellite rainfall estimates (RFE) fill in gaps in station observations, and serve as input to drought index maps and crop water balance models. Gridded rainfall time-series give historical context, and provide a basis for quantitative interpretation of seasonal precipitation forecasts. RFE are also used to characterize flood hazards, in both simple indices and stream flow models. In the future, many African countries are likely to see negative impacts on subsistence agriculture due to the effects of global warming. Increased climate variability is forecast, with more frequent extreme events. Ethiopia requires special attention. Already facing a food security emergency, troubling persistent dryness has been observed in some areas, associated with a positive trend in Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures. Increased African capacity for rainfall observation, forecasting, data management and modelling applications is urgently needed. Managing climate change and increased climate variability require these fundamental technical capacities if creative coping strategies are to be devised.

Versatile peroxidase (VP) from Bjerkandera adusta is a structural hybrid between lignin (LiP) and manganese (MnP) peroxidase. This hybrid combines the catalytic properties of the two above peroxidases, being able to oxidize typical LiP and MnP substrates. The catalytic mechanism is that of classical peroxidases, where the substrate oxidation is carried out by a two-electron multistep reaction at the expense of hydrogen peroxide. Elucidation of the structures of intermediates in this process is crucial for understanding the mechanism of substrate oxidation. In this work, the reaction of H(2)O(2) with the enzyme in the absence of substrate has been investigated with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The results reveal an EPR signal with partially resolved hyperfine structure typical of an organic radical. The yield of this radical is approximately 30%. Progressive microwave power saturation measurements indicate that the radical is weakly coupled to a paramagnetic metal ion, suggesting an amino acid radical in moderate distance from the ferryl heme. A tryptophan radical was identified as a protein-based radical formed during the catalytic mechanism of VP from Bjerkandera adusta through X-band and high-field EPR measurements at 94 GHz, aided by computer simulations for both frequency bands. A close analysis of the theoretical model of the VP from Bjerkandera sp. shows the presence of a tryptophan residue near to the heme prosthetic group, which is solvent-exposed as in the case of LiP and other VPs. The catalytic role of this residue in a long-range electron-transfer pathway is discussed.

To thrive in today's health care environment, hospitals are constantly striving to exceed their customers' expectations in delivering quality care in a cost-effective manner. Meeting the patient educational needs of the consumer is one well-recognized aspect of quality care. Delivering quality care does not happen by chance; rather, it requires intense planning. Our academic medical center formalized this process by empowering professional staff from Nursing Development to develop and implement a patient education strategic plan. This article outlines the project management for the assessment phase of this strategic planning process. The findings were instrumental in outlining the future direction for patient education initiatives that will benefit both the patient and the organization.

Smoking and hyperlipidemia are key risk factors resulting in peripheral arterial disease. These risk factors can be reduced when appropriate lifestyle changes are made, especially for patients less than 60 years of age. Therefore patient education regarding smoking cessation and healthy diet changes may positively impact the course of disease. The ability to make a lifestyle change is affected by (1) an individual's belief that his or her behavior affects the condition and (2) the social support received from family, especially a primary caregiver. This pilot study compared two randomized groups of patients with peripheral arterial disease for a 1-year period. The control group received the standardized teaching plan regarding smoking cessation and diet at the postoperative clinic visit. The experimental group received the standardized teaching plan in addition to quarterly telephone calls to reinforce smoking cessation and diet information. At the end of 1 year, both groups received follow-up telephone calls at the conclusion of the study for endpoint data collection. Specifically, this project investigated the following research statements: (1) Patients who receive periodic telephone follow-up will have greater compliance with the recommendations regarding smoking and diet than those who do not receive follow-up. (2) Patients whose caregivers are compliant with the recommendations regarding smoking cessation and diet will have significantly higher compliance themselves. The data were analyzed by using cross tabulation, sign test, and McNemar's test for nonparametric data to measure mobility, overall perception of health, knowledge of risk reduction information, and compliance with the smoking cessation and low fat/cholesterol diet plan. The results of this pilot study revealed no significant differences between the control and experimental groups. Telephone reinforcement was not sufficient in this study to influence lifestyle change. However, standardized teaching improved diet scores in both groups. Differences were found between smokers and nonsmokers.

An active nursing committee structure supports a healthcare organization's ability to provide high-quality care. Traditionally, the success of a committee structure has been measured quantitatively in terms of staff nurse participation or the number of policies processed. The authors describe the process by which one nursing division evaluated their committee structure in terms of achieving the goals of their strategic plan, communication effectiveness, and the benefits and costs of participation.